Notifiable vs. Non-Notifiable Electrical Work

When you're dealing with electrical tasks at home, your projects will generally fall into one of two categories under the Building Regulations: 'notifiable' work, which means you'll need formal consent or specific oversight, and 'non-notifiable' work, which typically doesn't require such direct approval.

When Your Electrical Work Becomes 'Notifiable'

For certain types of electrical work, you are legally required to either inform your local Building Control Body or engage a registered, competent electrician. Here's a breakdown of the projects that fall into this 'notifiable' group:

• If you're installing a completely new fuse box, also known as a consumer unit.

• When you're putting in an entirely new electrical circuit – this could be for a new ring main, a lighting setup, or a dedicated circuit for appliances like a cooker, shower, or immersion heater.

• Any modifications you make to existing circuits if they are located in what are termed 'special locations'.

Understanding 'Special Locations'

'Special locations' are specific areas in your home where the risk of an electric shock is considerably higher, usually because of water or other conductive materials. The definition of these areas varies slightly depending on whether you're in England or Wales:

• In England: For you, a 'special location' specifically means the immediate surroundings of baths and showers.

• In Wales: If you're in Wales, these 'special locations' include your kitchen and any outdoor areas, in addition to the spaces around baths and showers.

What Counts as 'Non-Notifiable' (Minor) Electrical Work?

Most routine repairs, like-for-like replacements, general maintenance, or any alterations and additions to existing circuits outside of those 'special locations' are usually considered non-notifiable. However, you'll find the precise definitions have subtle differences between England and Wales:

For You in England (since April 2013):

Since April 2013, the rules for non-notifiable work in England have been simplified. You can consider any electrical work as non-notifiable unless it specifically involves one of these projects:

• Fitting a new fuse box or replacing an old one.

• Installing a brand-new, complete circuit that connects to your fuse box.

• Performing any alteration work within the area immediately surrounding a bath or shower.

If your project isn't on that list, then it's typically non-notifiable.

For You in Wales:

In Wales, non-notifiable work encompasses the following:

• Any electrical repair, maintenance task, or direct like-for-like replacement.

• Any additions or alterations you make to an existing circuit, as long as that circuit is not in your kitchen, bathroom, or outside your home.

• Installing or improving your main or supplementary electrical bonding (which helps to reduce the risk of electric shock).

• Fitting extra-low voltage wiring for systems such as telephones, fire alarms, burglar alarms, or heating controls, provided these are installed outside of your bathrooms.

Regardless of whether your electrical project requires notification or not, it's absolutely crucial that you ensure the work is designed, installed, inspected, tested, and certified in line with BS 7671 (these are the national Wiring Regulations). It's important for you to know that even if work is non-notifiable, your local authority can still take action if they discover it's unsafe or doesn't meet the required standards.

If you're ever unsure about whether your planned electrical work needs formal approval, your best course of action is always to contact your local authority building control department for their expert advice.